Neuralstem, Inc. (NASDAQ:CUR) announced the presentation of the poster entitled, “Reversal of radiation-induced cognitive impairment by oral administration of a neurogenic small molecule compound NSI-189,” at the Radiation Research Society Annual Meeting on October 19th. The preclinical study data concluded that NSI-189 provided treatment benefits in the reversal of radiation-induced cognitive deficits.

Research led by Charles Limoli, Ph.D. at University of California, Irvine, showed that treatment of gamma-irradiated rats with NSI-189 daily for 30 days ameliorated radiation-induced impairments in hippocampal- and frontal cortex-dependent episodic and spatial memory functions. Additionally, NSI-189 treatment preserved hippocampal neurogenesis at the pre-irradiation level. Adult rats (n=16/group) were irradiated with clinically relevant dose of cranial irradiation, and then 24-hours later, were started on oral administration of either placebo, or NSI-189 (30mg/kg/day), for 30 days. They were periodically assessed by multiple cognitive tasks The animals on placebo showed significant impairments in performances across all tasks, an effect that was reversed by treatment with NSI-189.

“We are excited by the prospect of extending NSI-189’s neurogenic benefits to improving cognition, added Dr. Karl Johe, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Neuralstem, and a study author. “After observing NSI-189’s encouraging results in Phase 1b major depressive disorder (MDD) study, we are currently evaluating its potential efficacy as an antidepressant in a larger Phase 2 MDD study. With these new preclinical data, we now plan to explore NSI-189’s utility to treat or protect against cognitive impairment in various indications, such as radiation-induced brain injuries incurred during cancer treatment.”

Radiation therapy (RT) is standard treatment for cancers in the brain and is associated with cognitive dysfunction, particularly in children, resulting in loss of working memory or progressive dementia. (Original Source)

Shares of Neuralstem closed yesterday at $0.282, down $0.005 or -1.91%. CUR has a 1-year high of $1.27 and a 1-year low of $0.19. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $0.30 and its 200-day moving average is $0.35.

On the ratings front, Neuralstem has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. In a report issued on October 4, Brean Capital analyst Jason Wittes reiterated a Buy rating on CUR, with a price target of $4.00, which represents a potential upside of 1316% from where the stock is currently trading. Separately, on September 20, Roth Capital’s Joseph Pantginis maintained a Buy rating on the stock and has a price target of $1.20.

According to TipRanks.com, which ranks over 7,500 financial analysts and bloggers to gauge the performance of their past recommendations, Jason Wittes and Joseph Pantginis have a total average return of 6.6% and 7.1% respectively. Wittes has a success rate of 57% and is ranked #478 out of 4180 analysts, while Pantginis has a success rate of 37% and is ranked #383.

Neuralstem, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company, which is focused on the research, development and commercialization of central nervous system therapies based on human neuronal stem cells and small molecule compounds. Its patented technology enables the commercial-scale production of multiple types of central nervous system stem cells, which are under development for the potential treatment of central nervous system diseases and conditions.